In diabetes management, there exist devices which allow diabetic patients to measure the blood glucose levels. One such device is a hand-held electronic meter such as blood glucose meters such as Freestyle® blood glucose monitoring system available from Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., of Alameda, Calif. which receives blood samples via enzyme-based test strips. Typically, the patient lances a finger or alternate body site to obtain a blood sample, applies the drawn blood sample to the test strip, and the strip is inserted into a test strip opening or port in the meter housing. The blood glucose meter converts a current generated by the enzymatic reaction in the test strip to a corresponding blood glucose value which is displayed or otherwise provided to the patient to show the level of glucose at the time of testing.
Such periodic discrete glucose testing helps diabetic patients to take any necessary corrective actions to better manage diabetic conditions. Presently available glucose meters have limited functionalities (for example, providing the glucose value measured using the test strip and storing the data for subsequent recall or display) and do not provide any additional information or capability to assist patients in managing diabetes. For example, Type-1 diabetic patients who require periodic infusion or injection of insulin, typically use glucose meters in addition to, for example, wearing an external infusion device, or a pen type injection device. Also, in the case of external infusion devices, because the strip port on the meter receives the test strip (which is generally not a water tight seal), it is not desirable to incorporate the discrete glucose meter functionalities to the housing of the external infusion devices.
Presently available external infusion devices typically include an input mechanism such as buttons through which the patient may program and control the infusion device. Such infusion devices also typically include a user interface such as a display which is configured to display information relevant to the patient's infusion progress, status of the various components of the infusion device, as well as other programmable information such as patient specific basal profiles.
The external infusion devices are typically connected to an infusion set which includes a cannula that is placed transcutaneously through the skin of the patient to infuse a select dosage of insulin based on the infusion device's programmed basal rates or any other infusion rates as prescribed by the patient's doctor. Generally, the patient is able to control the pump to administer additional doses of insulin during the course of wearing and operating the infusion device such as for, administering a carbohydrate bolus prior to a meal. Certain infusion devices include food database that has associated therewith, an amount of carbohydrate, so that the patient may better estimate the level of insulin dosage needed for, for example, calculating a bolus amount.
Programming and controlling the pump functions are typically performed by the patient using the pump user interface which includes input buttons and a display. Typically, depending on the type of the infusion device, the amount of information which is provided to the user generally focuses on infusion management such as programming temporary basals, bolus calculation, and the like, in addition to the device operational functions such as alerts for occlusion detection. Given the decreasing cost of microprocessor, communication and other electronic components, and increasing sophistication of patients and users of medical devices such as blood glucose meters, infusion devices, and continuous glucose monitoring systems, it would be desirable to provide additional features and functionalities to improve health related management by the user using these medical devices.